Chase Liquid Prepaid Card Review

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Chase Liquid Prepaid Debit CardNerdWallet’s rating: 4.5 / 5.0

[Update March 22, 2019: Chase Liquid is no longer available for new customers, but existing accounts still work. Chase has launched a new checking account, Chase Secure Banking, designed for people who have had difficulty getting access to traditional banking in the past. To see other prepaid cards, check out our list of best prepaid options.]

The Chase Liquid prepaid debit card charges few fees while offering many free ways to add money — but it’s available only in the 23 states (and the District of Columbia) that have Chase branches. If these locations apply to you, the card is a practical low-cost prepaid option, with good web services and a generally robust ATM and branch network.

General fees and features

4.0 / 5.0

Chase charges a reasonable $4.95 monthly fee for a prepaid debit card and no inactivity or closure fees, but you can only open the card in a state with Chase branches. Getting the monthly fee waived is tough.

Pros

Cons

No inactivity, opening or closing account fees.

Free card replacements.

Can open card online or in person at a Chase branch but only in a state with Chase’s branches.

Hard to get the monthly fee waived, because that requires you to have one of the bank's high-end checking accounts, such as Chase Premier Plus Checking℠.

Minimum initial load of $25 required.

Purchases and withdrawals

5.0 / 5.0

Chase Liquid makes it easy to avoid transaction fees; you can withdraw money for free through its national branch and ATM network. There aren’t any charges for purchases or declined transactions, either, and the card works at merchants that accept Visa.

Pros

Cons

More than 16,000 Chase ATMs.

Ability to get cash back at retailers.

No fee to withdraw cash at non-Chase bank branches (but the other bank may charge a fee).

Chase ATMs available in only 28 U.S. states.

$2.50 fee for non-Chase ATM withdrawals.

No withdrawals at convenience stores.

Reloads

5.0 / 5.0

You have five free ways to load money onto Chase Liquid, which is more than what many other cards offer.

Pros

Cons

Free direct deposit.

Free mobile check deposit with quick processing.

Free reloads at about 5,100 Chase branches.

Free cash and check deposits at nearly 15,900 ATMs (out of a total of more than 16,000 Chase ATMs).

Free online transfers from Chase checking or savings.

No reloads at convenience stores.

Other services

4.0 / 5.0

Free online bill pay, customer service and ATM balance inquiries are available, but no check-writing or savings features.

A card with strong features but not in all states

The Chase Liquid card boasts free, high-quality web services and options for loading and withdrawals — but it isn’t available in more than half of U.S. states. It also comes up short on additional services such as savings features. If you’re in a state with Chase branches and ATMs and want a prepaid card with many free services, especially online, this card can be a solid option. Otherwise, consider a prepaid debit card with a more convenient ATM and reload network.

Ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s overall rating is a weighted average of these four categories: general fees and features (40%), purchases and withdrawals (35%), reloads (15%) and other services (10%). Factors we consider, depending on the category, include fees, ATM access, reload options, breadth of merchant acceptance, account features and limits, consumer-facing tech and customer service. Because prepaid debit cards help to manage money without using credit, any overdraft program gets penalized under the “purchases and withdrawals” category. Several Nerds contribute to prepaid debit card ratings to ensure consistency and accuracy.

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